The peripheral nervous system found in most domestic species can be segregated into three sub-systems; the sensory system, the somatic motor system and the autonomic system. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulates the internal environment of the body including factors such as body temperature, blood pressure and concentrations of many substances. The ANS is also responsible for mobilising the body's resources during stressful situations. The ANS controls gland cells, cardiac muscle cells and smooth muscle cells. Control of this nervous system is involuntary and regulation is via autonomic reflexes. The autonomic reflex arc system is very similar to that of the somatic motor system, i.e. there are sensory (afferent) nerve fibres, an information integration centre, motor (efferent) fibres and effector cells. Any levels of increased activity within the autonomic nervous system can result in both stimulation or inhibition of effector cells, although it is only the efferent part of the reflex arc that is actually considered autonomic.

Hank takes you on a tour of your two-part autonomic nervous system. This episode explains how your sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system work together as foils, balancing each other out. Their key anatomical differences - where nerve fibers originate and where their ganglia are located - drive their distinct anatomical functions, making your sympathetic nervous system the "fight or flight" while your parasympathetic nervous system is for "resting and digesting."

Chapters:
Introduction: Autonomic Nervous System
Sympathetic & Parasympathetic Nervous Systems
Origins - Comparing the Sympathetic & Parasympathetic Nervous Systems
Ganglia - Comparing the Sympathetic & Parasympathetic Nervous Systems
Axon Lengths - Comparing the Sympathetic & Parasympathetic Nervous Systems
Review
Credits

Biology is designed for multi-semester biology courses for science majors. It is grounded on an evolutionary basis and includes exciting features that highlight careers in the biological sciences and everyday applications of the concepts at hand. To meet the needs of today’s instructors and students, some content has been strategically condensed while maintaining the overall scope and coverage of traditional texts for this course. Instructors can customize the book, adapting it to the approach that works best in their classroom. Biology also includes an innovative art program that incorporates critical thinking and clicker questions to help students understand—and apply—key concepts.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the organization and functions of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systemsDescribe the organization and function of the sensory-somatic nervous system

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the difference between the central and peripheral nervous systemsExplain the difference between the somatic and autonomic nervous systemsDifferentiate between the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the organization and functions of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systemsDescribe the organization and function of the sensory-somatic nervous system

Psychology is designed to meet scope and sequence requirements for the single-semester introduction to psychology course. The book offers a comprehensive treatment of core concepts, grounded in both classic studies and current and emerging research. The text also includes coverage of the DSM-5 in examinations of psychological disorders. Psychology incorporates discussions that reflect the diversity within the discipline, as well as the diversity of cultures and communities across the globe.Senior Contributing AuthorsRose M. Spielman, Formerly of Quinnipiac UniversityContributing AuthorsKathryn Dumper, Bainbridge State CollegeWilliam Jenkins, Mercer UniversityArlene Lacombe, Saint Joseph's UniversityMarilyn Lovett, Livingstone CollegeMarion Perlmutter, University of Michigan

By the end of this section, you will be able to:Describe the difference between the central and peripheral nervous systemsExplain the difference between the somatic and autonomic nervous systemsDifferentiate between the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"Autonomic nervous system dysfunction contributes to both benign and malignant urinary tract diseases. Thus, autonomic nervous system components that are expressed in genitourinary organs, such as α- and β-adrenoceptors, can be targeted to treat urologic disease. α-Adrenoceptors typically mediate blood vessel constriction and smooth muscle contraction, and blocking α1-adrenoceptors with antagonists relaxes the prostate and urinary tract, improving urine flow in individuals with prostate enlargement, stones, and lower urinary tract symptoms. In contrast to α-adrenoceptors, β-adrenoceptors mediate vasodilation and relaxation. Thus, β-adrenoceptor stimulants are used to treat conditions such as overactive bladder. Notably, α- and β-adrenoceptors can also be targeted to protect against acute and chronic kidney disease, and existing α- and β-adrenoceptor antagonists can be repurposed to treat genitourinary cancers..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.

This resource is a video abstract of a research paper created by Research Square on behalf of its authors. It provides a synopsis that's easy to understand, and can be used to introduce the topics it covers to students, researchers, and the general public. The video's transcript is also provided in full, with a portion provided below for preview:

"As we go about our daily lives, we aren’t generally aware of the forces generated by solar activity or the earth’s magnetic field. While these planetary changes are well documented, precisely how they affect human beings is less clear. To answer this question, researchers have turned to the autonomic nervous system – the subconscious control system that regulates bodily functions such as breathing and digestion. Their findings suggest that our nervous systems are well attuned to the energetic fluctuations that ripple through our solar system. The work builds on observations made by the famed astronomer Alexander Chizhevsky during World War I. He noted that battles intensify during peak solar flare periods and that major human events and behaviors closely follow the cycle of the sun – which led to the hypothesis that some unknown solar forces affect human health and behavior, providing a provocative link between events occurring in our solar system and life on Earth..."

The rest of the transcript, along with a link to the research itself, is available on the resource itself.